I dislike his utter glee when killing people, I know that he was leaning more in that direction in 4 but have always found it odd that the most "pure good" character has had such a huge swing in the opposite direction. Still really like his character and can't wait for the game but its always felt weird to me.

I just don't know...I played the demo and liked it, but every time I watch videos for the game there seems to be something about cutting people apart that rubs me the wrong name. Not to mention the voice for Raiden is horrible.

Is it just me or does this game seem to embody all of the worst parts of the Dark Age of Comics in a video game form?

Well, I guess thats not really fair. Just realized that there might be some kind of personality change mechanic at work here. Still, really don't like that voice though.

Are there two Raidens or did he Hulk Out and get a new VA when he went red?

I want to know why after getting his body sewn back together, he then had it all hacked apart again? I would also rather have Platinum's explanation for this over Kojima's. Actually, I just wish this was set int he Vanquish universe and had nothing to do with the bloated, nonsensical, ret-conning mess that is the Metal Gear universe

The combat in this looks excellent. Platinum has proven they know combat with Bayonetta, Vanquish, and their work as Clover studios and a dev team under Capcom.

Also, I don't understand some people's negative reaction towards the cutting mechanic. It isn't like the whole combat is the cutting, or that you even need it to kill anyone. It's an optional finisher, kind of like Bayonetta's punish moves, and you can actually not use it the whole game if you want to; the health items from enemies drop onto the ground as well. Not to mention, there are various other weapons outside of the HF Blade that likely won't even have that mechanic, though I am assuming a bit here. All I know is there are non-HF blade weapons, and I can't imagine a whip-like thing cutting someone like that.

The story is up in the air though. I don't like Quinton's "Jack the Ripper" voice all that much. Hideo isn't writing this game, instead a team of people that have worked under him at Kojipro during the Metal Gear Solid days are handling it. They did Portable Ops as well, though that had a different lead writer. Portable Ops' story was pretty good, so hopefully they don't drop the ball here.

If we have to lose story for amazing gameplay and Japanese insanity, then that's something I'm willing to give up I guess. We always Ground Zeroes/Phantom Pain/MGS5 just around the corner if they drop the ball here.

As for the guns/batons thing, in the MGS universe ninjas can block bullets with their swords. Also, I'd assume those 9mm would be pretty useless against Raiden's armor. I'd venture to say those batons are lethal as well. It would have been less dumb if they all pulled out swords though.

You know, normally I cannot stand Raiden, but they have done something interesting, started by Kojima in MGS2. On one level Raiden is(was) just a young adult, stumbling over a love affair and fear of bad cooking. It's intimated he has rather feminine characteristics. MGS4 didn't really change much of that. Raiden leaking all that white stuff, and that obvious shared body impale with no other than Vamp.

He is a true sociopath, and has been further augmented to the extreme for that exact purpose. He has been killing since before he was a teen, probably starting with the last soldier who raped him. He is ugly to look at, listen to, and he is in definitely an ugly state of mind. Seems the atavistic killer side of him won.

I won't be playing this game anyways,. But in a way I do not consider healthy, I am truly fascinated where they are going with this.. Raiden ain't fooling around. He is going down the biggest lit street to the biggest town to bleed out the biggest...whatever. Reminds me of Alice Cooper's 'Killer'. That little ditttie I remember capping off Halo of Flies.

BTW, that one poster was right, he'd 'deflect' bullets with his sword, and shows him actually doing that with a rocket. I was amused when he cuts one of the Gears shields he actually slices again the part he already lopped off, it's strictly effect. But maybe that is just the point. The storyline might interest me, it may be complicated and have an intent. I'm just not a hack and slasher. I'd rather read how Raiden's trip goes if there was any purpose besides he will never get cavities in his lower jaw teeth.